The Best Laid Plans
by Ranguvar27
Summary: "The best laid plans of men often go awry".  When the Stayne and Hightopp children are kidnapped, their parents set out to find the person responsible, and the kidnapper soon realizes he is not dealing with helpless children.
1. Chapter 1 Concocting The Scheme

The Best Laid Plans

Chapter One: Concocting the Scheme.

In a small, grimy hovel on the outskirts of Witzend, a man sat. He was small, greasy, and smelled like twenty miles of open sewer. His clothes, amazingly, were even dirtier, and his eyes darted from side to side, never still.

His visitor was the exact opposite of him in appearance and manner, and he looked around the dwelling with barely concealed disgust, and then spoke in a calmly reasonable tone. "Now, Jack, you know what a fix I'm in. I'm the one who owns this land, and you're at least three months behind on your rent. If you don't come up with the money soon, I'm afraid I'll have no choice but to throw you out."

Jack stared at his landlord, eyes wide. "Where am I going to get three hundred pounds? !"

The landlord smiled wickedly. "That is not my problem, Jack. Just get me my money before midnight on Friday next, or you will be homeless." He turned and swept out of the hovel, leaving Jack Club alone with his thoughts. Unfortunately, he wasn't much of a thinker, but rather a drinker, with a high preference for homemade brambleberry wine. He had once been a gardener, but after he barely escaped execution for planting white roses in the Red Garden, he decided to go someplace where he would be able to keep his head. He had moved to Witzend and kept to himself.

But now, he was in a desperate situation. His landlord, Ace Spade, was known far and wide for being ruthless on those who defaulted on their rent. He also had a reputation for charging exorbitant amounts for the filthy hovels that he passed off as dwellings.

Jack sighed to himself, taking a swig of wine. Mirana's reign was infinitely better than her sister's had been, but there were still people like Spade running around and making life miserable for others. And now he was forcing Jack to come up with 300 pounds in less than a week.

Jack decided to tackle the problem head on-he flopped on his filthy bed, bottle in his hand, and began to snore.

When he woke up, things hadn't improved, and he still had no idea how to get money. He had no family or friends to go to, and no master gardener would hire him because of his drinking. 'I guess I only have one choice left.'

He had decided that he would find and kidnap a wealthy child, and demand a ransom from the parents. After he received the ransom-he would return the child safe and unharmed.

The only thing that remained was to find the right child, and wait for the opportune moment.

Nothing could possibly go wrong.


	2. Chapter 2 Gathering Recruits and Ambush

The Best Laid Plans

Chapter Two: Gathering Recruits and Ambush

"Please Mum?"

"Katarina, I'm just not sure."

"Pleeasssseee? I promise I'll watch Michael! I'm old enough! Honest! Can't we please, please, please go see Daidi? Pleeassee?"

Alannah smiled at her daughter. Stayne was on a Patrol, and Katarina and Michael had been pestering her all morning about going and seeing him for the day. She sighed, and nodded. "Very well."

Katarina whooped in joy and hugged her. "Thank you Mum! Thank you thank you thank you!"

Alannah stared seriously at her. "You had better keep a very close watch on your brother, you hear me?"

Katarina nodded solemnly. "Yes mum. Is it alright if Josiah and Arianna come with us? I promise to make sure they're safe too!"

Alannah sighed. "That's up to their Mum and Dad. You can go ask them. But if they say no, don't try to change their minds. You and Michael will have to go by yourselves. Katarina, I'm counting on you to keep your brother safe."

Katarina swelled with pride. Michael looked at his Mum, confused. "You aren't coming with us, Mum?"

"No, love. I've got to stay here and look after Victoria. Listen to your sister, don't stray from the path, and make sure that you go to your father the second you enter his camp. Understood?"

"Yes Mum."

Alannah smiled in relief, and turned to Katarina. "I suppose I'd better fix you up a haversack of traveling rations."

Twenty minutes later, a small group consisting of Katarina, Michael, Josiah and Arianna set out for the camp of the White Army. Alice and Tarrant had readily given permission for their children to spend the day with their two closest friends, and both trusted Katarina completely. As Tarrant told her, "You're the daughter of two of the cleverest and cunning people I know. You'll be fine."

Jack was sitting in a seedy, dimly lit bar. He had just finished his fourth bottle of brambleberry wine, and he was starting to see double. He blinked, focusing on the three men that sat across from him, both as drunk if not drunker than he. "Anyways, gents, that's me scheme. We wait along the road, and when we see a kid that looks like the parents' might cough up some money, we grab 'em and bring 'em back to the ole Cave. Then once I…I mean we've got the money, we split it four ways and send the children back safe and sound. Are you wif me?"

The man sitting on the left side of the table nodded. "Aye, Jack. We're with you."

They clinked their bottles together, sealing the deal. Jack stood, steadying himself as the room swayed dangerously. "Right. Let's go find a kid."

The four of them staggered out of the pub, heading in a zigzagging direction towards the road. Once there, they concealed themselves as best as they could, and waited for someone to come along.

The first person to come down the road was an old man pulling a wagon full of fish. Jack wrinkled his nose at the smell. He had never liked fish.

The next few people were all tradesmen heading to Witzend for Market, and Jack was beginning to think that perhaps his plan was going to fail when he looked down the path and spotted a gold mine.

Four children were coming straight towards him, and he could see from their clothing that they were of a high class. He looked over at his cronies, jerking his head towards the children, and they nodded in understanding.

Katarina was walking along when she stopped suddenly. As a consequence, Michael walked straight into her back.

"Katarina, why'd you stop?"

"I don't know. But something about those bushes bothers me."

Michael sighed, looking over at the twins then back to his sister. "They're just bushes! If we don't hurry, Daidi will have broken camp! Come on Katarina, let's go!"

Katarina sighed, and then smiled. "You're right, Michael. I was being silly. Let's go see Daidi."

They set off down the path. As soon as they reached the bushes, chaos broke out.

Jack and his friends burst out of the bushes, grabbing the children around their waists and clamping their mouths shut with their hands. Jack had grabbed Katarina, and he grinned wickedly. "Gotcha, my pretty gir…OWCH! You little heathen!" Katarina had bit his hand almost to the bone.

Michael, Josiah and Arianna were also struggling wildly, biting, kicking and squirming around. The man who had Josiah looked over at Jack, desperate. "These children are slippier than eels!"

Jack fumbled in his pocket, pulling out a knife he kept there. He got it in his hand, and then pressed it against Katarina's throat. She gulped and stopped struggling. Jack looked over at the other children. "You three keep still, or I slit her throat. Understood?"

They immediately stilled, and Michael stared at his sister, tears in his eyes. Jack smiled in relief. "That's better. Now, we've got someplace to be. Come along."

They dragged the children off, heading for the Cave of the Jabberwock.

Katarina kept silent as she was dragged along, marking their trail with a practiced eye. She bit her lip, a scheme forming in her mind. "Mister, I've got to pee!"

Jack glared at her. "You think I'm stupid?"

'Yes,' Katarina thought. She gave him her best pleading gaze. "Honest! I really have to! I won't run away! You've got my brother! But I really have to go!"

Jack sighed. "Fine. But if you aren't back in five minutes, your brother will pay the consequences."

Katarina nodded, and then set off into the woods, searching for the right spot. She found it, and reached into her pocket, pulling out the knife she had lifted from her kidnapper.

She peeled a small strip of bark off a tree, and then carved two hearts and two hats, with an arrow pointing in a northern direction. She then headed swiftly back, smiling disarmingly at Jack. "See, I told you I wouldn't run away."

Jack glared at her and shoved her forward. "Get moving!"

When they finally reached the Cave, Jack forced them to sit, and then tied their hands in front of them. Michael spoke up. "What's going to happen to us?"

Jack grinned at him. 'Why, nothing, as long as your parents are willing to pay the price for getting you back. If they are, you'll be just fine. If not, I'm afraid things will be slightly different. But while you're in ole Jack Club's company, you'll be treated just dandy." He looked at one of his associates. "Daryl, did you remember to write the ransom demand?"

Daryl, a particularly stupid looking man, nodded. "I shore did, Jack, and it's a beauty. Uhh…do you wanna read it?"

Jack glared at him. "No I don't! Get that letter to the post at Witzend! Did you address the envelope?"

Daryl grinned, and produced the grimy envelope. Written on it in a childish scrawl was 'Two the Rish Pairents at Mamroel."

Jack looked at the envelope, then at Daryl. "Marmoreal, huh? There's even more money in that palace."

Daryl nodded, and then set off. Katarina scooted closer to her brother, speaking quietly so that Jack and the other men couldn't hear. "An bhfuil tu ceart go leor, Michael?"

Michael nodded imperceptibly, and then spoke just as softly. "Ta me go maith, ach Arianna ar eagla go leor."

Katarina looked over at Arianna, who was on the verge of tears. "Na caoin, beidh me ag faire amach do duit." Arianna nodded and Katarina smiled at her.

Michael looked at his sister. "Beihd Mhamai agus Daidi teacht orainn, ceart?"

"Is ea."

Michael smiled in relief.

Stayne had completed his Patrol, given Grey Star a good brushing down, and delivered his Report to Mirana. Now all he wanted was to go home and relax a bit before dinner. He walked in to the cottage, calling out. "I'm home!"

Alannah came out of the kitchen, Victoria in her arms. "Welcome home love. Where are the others?"

Stayne blinked at her. "What others?"

Alannah stared at him. "What do you mean what others? Katarina, Michael and the Hightopp twins! They came to visit you at your camp today!"

Stayne stared back at her. "Alannah…I haven't seen them."

Alannah shook her head, near tears. "No, no you must have! I sent them this morning! You must have seen them! You must have!"

Stayne shook his head, and Alannah nearly screamed in fear. "DON'T LIE TO ME!"

"Alannah, I swear by Time himself, I haven't seen them since I left for Patrol yesterday."

Alannah swayed, sobbing. "No, no, no, no, no..."

Stayne pulled her into his arms, feeling on the verge of tears himself. "We'll find them, love. I promise."

"Whuh…What are we going to tell Tarrant and Alice?"

Stayne gulped. "I don't know." He looked up at the sound of a knock on the door. "Come in."

Tarrant walked in, a grimy envelope clutched in his hands. "Postman gave this to me. Said that I was a parent at Marmoreal, so I should read it."

Stayne glared at him. "Open it, now."

Tarrant blinked. "Alright, no worries." He opened it up, and his eyes went from green to dark red faster than Stayne had ever seen. "Why that cowardly bastard!"

Stayne took the letter.

'_To Whim It Mae Koncern: _

_I hav yor childs. If you dew whut I sai, they will nowt be hert. If you do not lissen, I will hert them. _

_I wunt three thousand pounts bey tomorrow. Yewre instruxtions are: _

_Get the money. Yew is rish, so that's not a problem. _

_Plac the money in a gren sak and carrey it too the edge of the wood. _

_Poot the sak down and leav. My frinds will pik it up, and yewre childs will be sint bak to yew safly. _

_If yew dew not follows thise direktuns perfectly, yewre childs will be harmd. _

_PS: Dunt trie to fined us, we're two well hidden. _

_PPS: Dunt tel the Kween.' _

Stayne crumpled the letter in his fist, shaking in fury. "Those bastards!" He looked over at his wife, and gulped quietly. Alannah's eyes were blood red, and she was trembling. "Alannah?"

"I'm fine, love. I've naught given intae Madness. Tarrant, ye need to go an' tell Alice and Meggie what's happened. Ask Meggie tae watch the baibins. Then we're going' to find our children."

Tarrant nodded and set off for his cottage as fast as his legs would carry him.

_**Translations: 'An bhfuil tu ceart go leor, Michael?'= 'Are you alright, Michael?'**_

'_**Ta me go maith, ach Arianna ar eagla go leor.' = 'I'm fine, but Arianna's pretty scared.'**_

'_**Na caoin, beidh me Ag faire amach do duit' = 'Don't cry, I'll watch after you.' **_

'_**Beihd Mhamai agus Daidi teacht orainn, ceart?'= 'Mum and Daidi will find us, right?'**_

'_**Is ea.' = 'Yes.**_'


	3. Chapter 3 Searches and Strategies

The Best Laid Plans

Chapter Three: Searches and Strategies.

Alice read the note that Tarrant had shown her, eyes flashing in anger. "That coward! Taking our children like that! How dare he! We're not going to give him what he wants, are we? !"

Tarrant smiled grimly, eyes dark blue. "No, Alice. What we are going to do is find them, and when we do the person that took them will pay the price. Ilosovic and Alannah are waiting outside. Do you want to come with us?"

Alice glared at him. "Tarrant Hightopp, you've known me how many years, and you ask such a ridiculously mad question? Of course I'm coming along. There's no force in this world that would be able to stop me!"

Tarrant grinned wickedly. "Excellent, let's go rescue our children."

Katarina opened her eyes, sighing. She looked over at her brother, smiling to herself when she noticed that he had his arm draped over Arianna as best he could. She was snuggled up to him, and they were both snoring softly. Josiah was curled up next to them, whimpering quietly as he dreamed. Katarina sighed, wishing she had her hands free so she could draw a picture.

She looked up as she noticed movement in front of her, and glared steadily at her captor, the man that called himself Jack Club. "You do realize that our parents will find us eventually."

Jack snorted in laughter and took a swig from his bottle, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and letting out a loud belch. "Not until I've got me money, girl. We're much too well hidden. Nobody coul' find us."

Katarina shook her head. "Our parents can. My father is the best tracker in Underland, and my mother knows the woods better than anyone. They could follow a trail through water."

Jack leered at her. "Is that right, girl? And just who is your daddy?"

Katarina gave him a toothy grin. "Ilosovic Stayne." She had to bite her lip to keep from laughing at Jack's reaction.

He gaped at her, eyes wide and mouth moving in speechless horror. The bottle he was holding slipped from his nerveless fingers to smash on the cave floor, where it shattered into a million pieces, filling the air with the sharp, tangy odor of cheap brambleberry wine. "Th…The…Knave of Hearts?"

Katarina grinned. "Former Knave of Hearts. Now White Captain. And he will find us, and you will wish you had never kidnapped us."

"Are all of you his?"

Katarina shook her head. "No. The twins belong to someone else. Someone just as dangerous to you."

Jack snorted. "I'm sure. I don't believe you, girl. You can't scare me, and you made me drop my bottle! I ought to strop you for that!"

Katarina glared at him. "You lay one finger on me and I'll scream bloody murder."

Jack reared back his arm, and Katarina stared steadily at him. He withered under her gaze and dropped his arm. "Little brat. How am I supposed to get through my day without something to calm my nerves?"

Katarina giggled to herself as she hit upon a scheme. "My haversack. Mum packed me some food and drink. You can have the drink."

Jack gave her what he thought was a withering glance. "I'm not interested in fruit juice, little girl. I want something with a bit of a kick to it."

Katarina shook her head. "No, it's not juice." She dropped her voice as if sharing a secret. "Mum made it. It's a really potent drink. She uses it when she needs a bit of a lift after a long day. She doesn't know I swiped some of it. It's really good."

Jack grinned. "In that case, I'll have to give it a try." He pulled the haversack towards him, rummaging through the contents until he came across a large vial filled with a light red liquid. "This it?"

"Yes, but you have to drink it slowly."

Jack scoffed at her. "I never drink slowly." He uncapped the vial, sniffing the contents, and then drained the vial dry in four quick gulps. He belched, grinned, then pitched forward on his face and began snoring.

Katarina grinned at him. "Got you." She scooted over to where he lay and fumbled in his pocket, grinning in triumph when her fingers closed around the knife. She then scooted back and sawed through her bonds, flexing her wrist in relief.

"Katarina? What's going on?" Michael stared in awe at his sister. "How'd you get free?"

She crawled over to him, gazing seriously into his eyes. "Michael, I want you to do something for me. Keep an eye on Club. I'll be back soon, alright?"

Michael clung to her, near to crying. "Don't leave us, please."

"I'm not, I promise. I'm going to place a sign for Mum and Daidi. I did it once already, and I need to do it again. I'll be back before Club wakes up."

"How do you know?"

Katarina grinned. "Because I tricked him into drinking a whole vial of Mum's sleeping potion. He won't wake up for a while."

Michael giggled, and then stared solemnly at her. "Promise you'll come back safe."

Katarina kissed the top of his head. "I promise little brother." She stealthily made her way out of the cave, heading away from it, looking for a spot to leave her sign where her parents would see it.

She found the perfect spot and was about to start carving when she heard the distinctive sound of a cat purring. "Show yourself, Chess."

Chessur materialized, gazing at her in surprise. "So your father isn't the only one able to hear me. What are you doing out in these woods at such a late hour, Katarina? Did you sneak out of the house to perhaps practice your carving skills on a tree?"

Katarina shook her head. "No, and I can't stay long. Michael and the twins will be in danger."

Chess gave her a hard stare. "Danger from what?"

Katarina gulped and told him everything. Chess's face went from surprise to shock to rage.

"Where's this guddler's scut keeping you?"

"The Jabberwock's Cave. I left another sign further up the road. Two hearts and two hats. Find my parents and make sure they're on the right trail, please. I have to go make sure everyone is safe."

Chessur stared after her as she ran off, a smile of pride on his face. "Time go with you, brave one." He flew off, determined to find the Staynes.

Stayne knelt down in the dirt. "There was a struggle here. Looks like blood."

Alannah gulped. "Whose?"

"I don't know, love. It could be anyone's. But there's not a lot of it, so don't worry just yet."

Alannah glared at him. "Our children are being held hostage. I think I have a right to be a little worried, Ilosovic!"

"To be worried, yes. Not to panic. Our children are highly resourceful, Alannah."

"Ilosovic, you are not helping matters. I am their mother, I am worried about them, and if I hear another word from you I am going to slap you silly. Got that?"

"I do, and I'm just as worried about them as you are." He pulled her into his arms, kissing her softly. "We'll find them, I promise."

"Ilosovic! Alannah! Come here, we've found something!" Tarrant's shout brought them running. He and Alice were standing in front of a tree. "Look, on the tree!"

Alannah came forward, staring at the carving. "It's Katarina! She's marking the trail!"

Stayne blinked at her. "How do you know?"

Alannah pointed to the hearts. "Two hearts! It's how she signs her pictures. The two hats stand for Arianna and Josiah!"

Stayne grinned. "Clever girl. The arrow points north."

Alice spoke up. "Then what are we waiting for?"

They set off northwards.

Katarina had made it back with time to spare, and Michael watched in slight confusion as she wrapped the rope around her wrists. "What are you doing?"

"Making it look like I'm still tied up. He's going to be out for the rest of the night." She reached in her pocket and handed Michael the knife. "Take this, free yourself and the twins, then try and get some sleep. I'll think of a way for us to get out of here."

Michael nodded. "I want to help."

"Alright."

"We want to help too."

Katarina smiled at the twins. "How long have you two been awake?"

Josiah answered first, followed almost instantly by his sister.

"Long enough."

"We want to help plan too."

"We want to see Mum and Daidi."

"Are they looking for us?"

"Why is that man asleep?"

"What happened to the other ones?"

Katarina laughed. "And I thought I was a Rambler! The other men left this morning. Club said he didn't need them anymore. He's asleep because I tricked him, but we still have to be very quiet. And of course our parents are looking for us."

Josiah smiled. "Good, let's start planning."


	4. Chapter 4 Revelations and Escape

The Best Laid Plans

Chapter Four: Revelations and Escape

Chessur flew through the wood, determined to find the Staynes and Hightopps. He purred in triumph as he spotted Tarrant a few yards up ahead. The Hatter was glancing around, looking at trees, bushes, and occasionally at the ground. Chess flew over to him, and Tarrant gave him an exasperated glance.

"I do not have time for any tricks or ploys right now, Chess. You may not borrow my hat, you may not go pester Mally, and I'm not in the mood for a battle of wits."

Chess turned in the air, gazing seriously at him. "I know, Tarrant. You've lost your little ones."

Tarrant stared at him, eyes blazing blue. "What do you know about that?"

"Quite a bit. I saw Katarina last night."

"Where?"

Chess turned to Stayne, who was staring daggers at him. "Three miles from here, there's a tree that has two hearts and two hats carved into it. Your daughter put them there."

Alannah and Alice came forward, and Alannah spoke first. "Is Katarina alright?"

Chess smiled. "She seemed to be. She's looking after the younger ones. Oh, and she told me the name of their abductor. Jack Club."

Stayne gawped at him. "Are you sure?"

"Perfectly. Why, do you know him?"

Stayne laughed in bemusement. "I did, and so did you, Alice."

Alice gaped at him in shock. "What are you talking about? I never knew anyone by that name!"

Stayne shook his head. "You did, but you probably never knew his name. He was the Head Gardener at Salazen Grum. Do you remember your first visit to the Gardens?"

Alice grinned. "Yes! Was he…one of the painters?"

"No, but Iracebeth blamed him for planting white roses and ordered him executed. He pled for his life, and to my surprise, she let him live. I suspect it was because she had a shortage of staff. After Horrendevush Day, Club disappeared. I assumed he had just been another casualty of the Jabberwock."

Alannah sighed. "So he's gone from gardener to kidnapper. Quite the leap."

Stayne nodded in bemusement. "It is. I knew him, like I said, and I just can't picture the Jack I knew doing something like this. He was a pretty decent man. Drunker than a lord most of the time, but decent."

"Decent or not, he has our children, and that makes him an enemy."

Stayne smiled at his wife. "True, but I still have to wonder why he did it."

"When we find him, we'll ask him. Chess, where are they?"

"The Cave of the Jabberwock."

Alice smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you, Chess. How far is that?"

Stayne pointed in a northeast direction. "That way, and it's almost a full day's journey. We'd better get moving, we're wasting daylight. Chess, would you mind coming along? We could use an extra pair of eyes."

"Of course."

Katarina watched carefully as Club began to stir. He sat up, holding his head in his hands, and blinked in confusion. "What happened?"

Katarina cocked her head at him, pretending confusion. "What do you mean? You had something to drink, and then you fell asleep."

Jack sneered at her. "I guessed. Why didn't you try to escape while I was sleeping?"

"Well, because I'm tied up. Besides, I don't like the woods. It's full of nasty bugs and other yucky stuff. I'd much rather be indoors where it's nice and clean. I really hate the fact that my dress is getting dirty!"

Jack gave her a look of fake sympathy. "That's just too bad, girl. But you're going to have to manage."

Katarina gave a mock pout. "Fine. But it's just so…icky. I'm sure my hair is a complete mess by now! And my hands are probably chafed from the rope. I'm a delicate thing, after all."

Club glared at her. "Quit yer whinging! I don't want to hear it, understand?"

Katarina nodded quickly. "Yes sir."

Jack snorted and stumbled out of the cave, scratching his chest. Katarina sighed, and then looked over at Michael, who was shaking with barely suppressed laughter. "Something funny, Michael?"

Michael looked at his sister, and giggled, nodding his head. "You acted like a girl!"

"I am a girl, genius."

"No, I meant you acted like a girly girl."

Katarina grinned. "Well, I tried." She looked over at the twins. "Do you remember the plan?"

Josiah answered for them. "Yes. Are…are we going to try now?"

Katarina nodded. "Yes, unless you want to stay here another night."

Arianna gulped, near to tears. "I'm scared."

Michael scooted over to her and hugged her. "It's alright, I'm scared too. But I'll watch out for you, I promise."

Arianna smiled at him. "Thank you, Michael." She kissed his cheek and Michael blushed crimson. Katarina smiled softly to herself, and then spoke.

"Everyone knows what to do, right?" There were nods and 'yeses' and she smiled. "Good. Start shouting."

"HELP! HELP! THERE'S SOMETHING IN THIS CAVE! HELP! IT'S TRYING TO BITE US! HELP!"

Jack, who had been standing outside the cave mouth enjoying the day and wondering why he hadn't received his money yet, jerked his head around at the sound of his captives shouting at the top of their lungs. "SHUT IT!" The screams redoubled in volume, and he growled in frustration, heading back to where they sat. "What is all this caterwauling about?"

Arianna spoke up in a frightened voice. "There's something in this cave! It was trying to bite us! Could you kill it?"

Jack glared at her. "What sort of something?" Arianna stared at him, eyes wide and innocent.

"I don't know, but it was scary. Please Mister, could you kill it?"

Jack smiled at her and ruffled her hair. "Of course I could, little girl. You just show old Jack where the mean thing is, and I'll kill it deader than the Jabberwock."

Josiah spoke up, pointing to a spot on the opposite wall. "It crawled over there when we started shouting."

Jack stared at the wall, squinting. "I don't see anything."

Katarina sighed. "Up and to your left. Your other left, genius." She watched as Jack continued to stare at the wall, then got her feet under her and stood up, flexing her wrists so her rope was dangling from her hands.

Michael and the twins watched with bated breath and pounding hearts as Katarina slowly crept up behind Jack, the rope twisted in her hands. He was still staring at the wall.

"I don't see any…ugghh!" Katarina had the rope around his neck before he could react, and she gave a single sharp tug. Jack fell to the ground, dead to the world. Katarina sighed in relief.

"Thank Time I inherited Daidi's height."

Arianna stared at Jack. "He's not dead, is he?"

"No, just unconscious."

Michael stared at his sister in awe. "How'd you learn that?"

"I watched Daidi when he taught it to Mum, and figured it would come in handy someday. Now, I propose that we get out of here and find our parents."

Michael nodded. "Great idea. I think we should tie Jack up first though, just to make sure he doesn't come after us."

Katarina grinned wickedly. "Good idea. We should be very thorough about it, too."

The others nodded, identical wicked grins on their faces, then proceeded to swathe Jack Club in ropes, tying knots wherever they could. By the time they had finished, he looked like a bird that had been trussed up for market. Katarina nodded in approval. "Well done. Now, let's get out of here!"

They ran out of the cave, ready to find their parents. Arianna and Josiah looked around, scared. Josiah spoke up. "Which way do we go?"

Michael pointed southeast. "Marmoreal's in that direction. We go that way."

Katarina smiled in pride at him. "That's right, Michael!"

Arianna gazed almost worshipfully at him. "How did you know that?"

Michael smiled, shuffling his feet. "Well…we spend a lot of time in the woods helping Mum gather herbs. She taught us how to find our way home no matter where we were."

Arianna smiled at him, and the four of them set off in the direction Michael had indicated.

Stayne was walking down the path when he noticed someone heading towards him. He stopped, hand on his sword hilt, and called out. "Who goes there?"

Katarina and Michael looked at each other, grinning, and then broke into a run, shouting as loud as they could. Arianna and Josiah were right on their heels.

"DAIDIIII!"

Stayne stared at them, slack jawed in wonder, and they slammed into him, hugging him as tightly as they could. He gave a sob of relief and wrapped his arms around them, thanking every single deity he could think of. "Oh my little ones, I'm so glad you're safe!"

"Katarina? ! Michael? !"

"MUM!"

Alannah came flying down the path, eyes wide in disbelief. "You…you're…" She swept them into a hug, sobbing in relief and joy. "Oh thank Time you're safe!"

Tarrant came running up; eyes fixed on the path ahead, and began shouting, waving his arms in mad glee. "Arianna! Josiah!" Alice looked down the path and began shouting just as eagerly.

Arianna and Josiah came pelting forward, slamming into their parents with sobs of relief. Arianna wrapped her arms around Alice, sobbing. "Momma!"

Alice clung to her, kissing her all over. "Oh my little girl, I'm so glad to have you back!"

Tarrant was clinging just as tightly to Josiah, his eyes a deep lavender. "Welcome back, my lad. I'm so glad to see you!"

Chessur smiled to himself. "I always did love family reunions."

Back at the cave, Jack had come to and realized the following-his captives were gone, he was trussed up like a turkey, and he had no way of freeing himself. He had never thought that rich children could be so much trouble.

On top of everything else, he had never gotten his money.


	5. Chapter 5 A Second Chance

The Best Laid Plans

Chapter Five: A Second Chance

Tarrant looked over at Katarina, smiling gratefully at her. "Thank you for keeping my little ones safe. Alice and I will forever be grateful to you for that."

Katarina smiled, then stepped our of her parents' arms and into Tarrant's, hugging him firmly. "You're welcome, Uncle Tarrant." Tarrant's eyes turned soft green, and he hugged her back, a soft smile on his face.

Stayne smiled at his daughter. "Your mother and I couldn't be prouder of you, love. Because of your quick thinking, nobody was hurt. But we should go before Club comes after us. Chances are he's discovered by now that his prisoners are missing."

The children looked at each other and burst into mad giggles. Alice glared at them in exasperation. "This is not funny!"

Katarina giggled, nodding. "We don't have to worry about him coming after us."

Stayne raised his eye at her. "Why, what did you do?"

"Tied him up with his own rope."

Michael giggled. "After he was unconscious. Don't forget that."

Alannah gaped at her daughter. "How did you manage that?"

"Ummm….remember when Daidi showed you how to render someone unconscious?" Alannah nodded, and Katarina gave a sly smile. "I was watching from behind the bushes, and I thought it was really interesting."

Alannah gulped. "Oh. Ummm…you didn't see anything else, did you?"

"No, nothing. I know how you and Daidi can get, so I left before anything else happened."

Stayne chuckled at Alannah. "Methinks the lass is growing up."

Alannah glared at him, and then softened, kissing Katarina on the forehead. "Your dad's right. You are growing up, and I must say, becoming quite the remarkable young lady."

Katarina flushed in pride. "I love you both."

Stayne put his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. "And we love you."

"Daidi?"

"Yes, Katarina?"

"What are you going to do to Club? He didn't hurt any of us."

Stayne sighed. "And it's for that reason alone that I'm not going to run him through the minute I see him. You say he's tied up back at the Cave?" The children nodded. "Fine. Alannah, Alice, take the children back to Marmoreal and inform Mirana that I will be returning shortly with a prisoner. Tarrant, come with me. I could use an extra pair of hands."

Alannah opened her mouth to protest and Stayne gave her a stern look. "No arguments, my beauty." He kissed her. "We'll be back before you know it. Now go on, get home."

Alannah smiled. "Alright. Come on you four, let's get going. Alice?"

"I'm coming. Tarrant, you be careful."

Tarrant smiled madly at his wife. "I'm always careful, Alice!"

They set off on their separate ways.

Mirana was pacing the throne room, wringing her hands. Something strange was happening, she just knew it. The first hint she had was the fact that Tarrant was not in his Hat Shop, and according to several people she spoke with, he hadn't been there all day. That in itself was odd, but not too alarming. Mirana thought that perhaps he and Alice were spending the day together. Yet when she had gone to their cottage on a precept of wanting a new hat, it had been dark and empty. The Staynes' cottage had been just as silent, and that was when Mirana became seriously worried. She had thought about going to see Meggie, but decided against it at the last moment, worried that she too would be gone.

She noticed movement out of the corner of her eye, and smiled softly at Mctwisp. "What is it?"

"Lady Alannah Stayne requests an audience, Majesty."

Mirana smiled in relief. "Show her in right away!"

Alannah entered the throne room, smiling, and then gasped in shock as Mirana hugged her. "Oooof. Mirana, you need to learn to not squeeze so tight."

Mirana quickly released her, blushing slightly. "Do forgive me, my friend! It's just that I have been worried about you all day. You were nowhere to be found. By the way, where's Ilosovic?"

Alannah smiled grimly. "He and Tarrant will be returning shortly with a prisoner."

Mirana stared at her, wide eyed and mouth agape. "A prisoner? Who?"

"It's a long story, Majesty."

Mirana smiled. "Tell me everything."

Alannah shook her head. "I can't, I only know the beginning and end." She turned to the door. "Katarina, come in here."

Katarina entered, curtseying. "Majesty." She looked over at her mother, and Alannah smiled and nodded.

"Tell her."

Katarina gulped and began talking.

Jack had been trying for hours to free himself and finally fallen asleep from exhaustion. He had wonderful dreams where he was dressed in silks and satins, riding in golden carriages, and being bowed to and treated like a king wherever he went. His miserable despotic landlord had been locked in a tower, and he was loved and respected by all. He smiled to himself and began talking. "Bow before me! The great Jack Club! Lover! Fighter! Hero! I've killed a dozen men before breakfast! I climbed to the top of the Ruin and dove off! I can bring the Outlands back with a touch of my hand!"

"That's six, Jack."

Jack's eyes popped open and he felt his stomach shrivel up in fear. Standing directly above him, a look of thunder on his face was the dreaded Knave of Hearts, his sword pointing directly at Jack's vitals. Jack made a whimpering sound and looked to his right, gulping in fear as he looked into the dark blue eyes of the Mad Hatter. "Please don't kill me sirs, oh please don't, please don't kill me! I didn't know they was your kids, I swear I din't, the older gal said they was, but I din't believe her, please don't kill ole Jack, I would never have done it if I'd known they was yours, sirs, I never laid a hand on them, I swear, it never crossed me mind, I never hurt them, oh please, please, please don't kill me!" He began blubbering, and Stayne sighed in disgust, sheathing his sword.

"We're not going to…will you stop that blubbering? ! We're not going to kill you. However, we are going to bring you to Marmoreal. The Queen can deal with you. Tarrant, help me untie his legs. The arms we'll leave tied."

Jack sighed in relief. "Oh thank you sirs, thank you, I'll be forever grateful to you, you've got old Jack as a friend for life, sirs."

Tarrant rolled his eyes. "Just what I needed. Up you come, Club." He and Stayne hauled Jack to his feet and dragged him out of the Cave. When they were out, Stayne gave Jack a stern look. "You try to run, and we run after you. Understood?"

Jack nodded several times. "Yes sir, perfectly sir!"

Stayne smiled. "Good, come along. Oh, and as for you bringing back the Outlands, my wife did that several years ago."

The door to the throne room burst open and Stayne and Tarrant walked in, dragging between them a sorry looking specimen. Jack had been dragged through the woods, all the while thinking and fearing that his life would be over before he knew it. Stayne and Tarrant had been on the verge of laughter at the many pleas and promises Jack had made if they would go lenient on him and speak to the Queen on his behalf. Now he stood in the throne room, looking into the stern eyes of the White Queen. He gulped, and noticed another woman in the room. She was quite pretty-a tall, shapely red head. But the thing that Jack noticed about her was that she was glaring at him in anger, her green eyes tinged slightly with red. He shuddered, and then looked around as Mirana spoke.

"Jack Club. You were once Head Gardener for my sister. Do you have good reason for kidnapping the Stayne and Hightopp children?"

Jack broke free of Stayne and Tarrant and prostrated himself in front of her. "Forgive me, please! I didn't know what else to do! I was in such desperate straits! I needed money, and I had no other means of getting it! It's me landlord, Majesty! Three hundred quid I owe him, and that's for a filthy hovel not fit for a pig to live in! He would have put me into debtor's prison, Majesty! I can't get a job, and I had no one to turn to for help! Please, show mercy to me!" He looked over at Alannah. "I never hurt any of them, I swear! I never laid as much as one finger on them! Please, Majesty, show me mercy!"

Mirana smiled grimly. "That is not for me to decide. I will leave your fate up to the mothers of the children you kidnapped. Alice, please come in here."

Alice came in, glaring daggers at Jack. Mirana looked over at Alannah, motioning her forward. "You have heard the prisoner plead his case. What is your verdict?"

Alice stared firmly at Jack. "He seems to truly feel remorseful for his actions. I vote we show leniency. Alannah?"

"Jack, you kidnapped my children. By rights I should tear your head off. But I believe, like Alice, that your remorse is genuine. Therefore I too vote for a lenient sentence."

Jack gave a sob of relief. "Thank you, kind ladies, thank you, thank you, thank you!"

Mirana smiled. "What shall his sentence be?"

Alice and Alannah spoke together in whispers for a moment, and then smiled. Alannah looked over at Jack. "You were a gardener once, were you not?"

"Yes, My Lady. The finest one in Salazen Grum."

Alannah nodded. "Good, then this is your sentence. There is a large patch of uncultivated ground in the Main Garden. You have three months to cause it to bloom. What you plant is entirely up to you, but you have three months. Is that sentence acceptable?"

Jack gaped at her. "Perfectly! Thank you for showing me mercy, Lady…"

"Alannah Stayne, Royal Court Healer. Can you grow herbs?"

Jack puffed with pride. "Lady Stayne, I can grow anything you wish me to." He slumped. "But I still am in debt to my slurvish landlord."

Stayne spoke up. "Who is your landlord, Jack?"

Jack sighed. "Ace Spade."

Tarrant gazed at him in sympathy. "No wonder you're in debt. Spade's notorious for being quite the tight fisted old miser."

Jack snorted. "He is, and I'm not the only one whose life he has ruined. At least there's only me to feed. Spade's thrown whole families out of their houses in the dead of winter because they didn't have enough for rent." He turned to Mirana. "I know you've done a lot, Majesty, but why is Spade still being allowed to continue bullying and browbeating the poor of Witzend?"

Mirana smiled softly at him. "He won't be allowed for long. Stayne, order a Patrol to go to Witzend and arrest Spade for extortion, thievery, bullying, and generally being a thorough cad."

Stayne bowed. "Of course, Majesty. If you do not object, I would like to send the Patrol tomorrow. Right now, all I am interested in is being with my family."

"By all means, Captain. Go and spend time with your family." She smiled at the Hightopps. "You too."

They smiled and set off for their homes.


	6. Chapter 6 A Garden in Bloom

The Best Laid Plans

Chapter Six: A Garden in Bloom.

_**Note: Be prepared for a rather short final chapter. Sorry. **_

One month had passed since the abduction and subsequent escape of the Stayne and Hightopp children. For a few days after, Alice and Alannah kept a close, nervous eye on their children, fretting whenever they would take a bit more time getting home. But gradually they came to realize that the danger had passed, and that all was truly well.

As for Jack Club, his first act after his first month of serving his sentence had ended was to head straight for the Staynes' cottage and present Alannah with a large basket of herbs and Katarina with a dark red flower that he said "Would go lovely with that pretty black hair of yours."

He had changed greatly in a month-while he was still a small, stooped, and rather ugly man, he had cleaned up and was not drinking as much. The main reason for this was Alannah-she had informed him that he was not allowed to touch alcohol for a full year. At first, he had been nearly out of his mind with shock and fear, but then she had presented him with a potion that she claimed would curb his urges to drink. He had been quite skeptical at first, but as time went by he found himself wanting a drink less and less. It was also about that time that he realized that Lady Stayne was truly gifted as a healer. He had cut his arm quite badly on a rambling road vine, and she had patched it up quicker than any doctor he had ever known.

Jack smiled, looking around what he was coming to think of as his garden. The near dead patch of land he had been ordered to revive took up all his time and effort, and his skin was a nice tan as opposed to the sickly pale cast it had been only weeks before. He also found it quite nice that Mirana would come to speak to him, praising him for the wonderful efforts he was putting into the Garden.

Katarina had smiled at him, thanking him for the nice flower, and then said three words that made him burst into happy tears. She had looked into his eyes, gently touched his shoulder, and solemnly whispered: "I forgive you."

The enormity of those words hit him like a sledgehammer, and he began to sob. "Th…thank you."

Alannah had been in the kitchen sorting through the herbs when she heard her daughter's words, and her eyes filled with tears of pride for the remarkable woman her daughter was becoming.

After that day, Jack and Katarina had become friends. She loved the gardens almost as much as he did, and would spend hours helping him weed, cultivate, and plant. For his part, he found it quite remarkable that a girl from a privileged family-or so he thought at the time-would be willing to get dirty. When he asked her about it, she laughed. "We're not a privileged family. We aren't poor, because Mum makes a decent living as the Royal Healer, but we're not privileged, and we've been through quite a lot. Well, at least Mum and Daidi have."

Jack looked over at her. "What have they been through?"

Katarina told him, and he listened, fascinated with tales of kidnappings, beatings, slayings, and other obstacles that would have caused lesser people to crumble beneath their onslaught. But instead, each trial and obstacle had only bought them closer together. Jack had been in love before-often unrequited-but he had never known the depth of love and loyalty that bound Alannah and Ilosovic Stayne together.

He smiled to himself as he remembered another great moment-the day Ilosovic had come to him and told him that Ace Spade had been arrested for extortion. Best of all, all debts owed to him had been erased, and Jack was now, for all intents and purposes, his own master.

He sat on his haunches in the garden, smiling as he noticed a new shoot growing up through the soft soil, and thought about how he was like the garden-dead, with no one to care for him. But all that had changed. He was beginning to blossom.

He smiled as he thought of something he had heard once. "The best laid plans of men often go awry." His plan had gone wrong, but in the most wonderfully right way possible.

But, in a world where six impossible things happened every day, that was quite ordinary.

THE END.

_**So: The ending. I didn't really want Jack to be punished harshly, as he isn't a bad guy-he's a decent man who made a bad choice, and I wanted to show that he's actually capable of doing good and being forgiven. And before anyone asks, he and Katarina are friends, that's all. There's no romance. **_


End file.
